Rely On Me
by Daylight Moonlight
Summary: Ino was the most popular girl amoungst her friends until she cheated on her boyfriend. Her friends sided with Kiba and turned their backs on her. Year later she meets Shikamaru again while working in a bar! ShikaIno, NaruSaku, SasuHina
1. Chapter 1

_**Fallen**_

"Another drink here!" The drunken man called. "And have the hot blonde serve it!" He added slurring words together. It was a wander anyone understood him at all. There were some good and bad things about being a pretty waitress at a pub. For one, people always tipped higher hoping that will get her to sleep with them. But that also meant she got bothered by the customers more.

"Here you go." The blonde waitress said as she laid his drink on the table. "I think maybe you should cut down for tonight." She suggested before walking back over behind the bar.

"Hey Miss?" One of the guys at the bar stools caught her attention. "What's your name?" He asked.

"My name?" She repeated. "Hana." She lied. She new better then to give her real name to anyone of these drunks and so she came up with a fake one. She went to the back room for a moment and took her hair down and redid her ponytail which had gotten all askew within the 7 hours of her 8 hour workday.

The bar was open all night, but it was decided that no girls worked past midnight. It was safer that way since the thugs usually came out after midnight. Probably their way of showing off, she guessed. She grabbed a few extra beers and returned to the bar where she set them out for a few customers.

"You're Hana now?" A voice asked from a bar stool.

The blonde looked at the owner of the voice that she felt she new. He didn't sound drunk or accusing, just sad.

"I've always been Hana." She lied.

"I seem to remember a time when your name was different." He replied. "I'm not drinking." He added before she could ask what he wanted. "Designated driver."

"Then would you like a soda?" She asked sounding annoyed. "And I would like a name. You seem to know who I am."

"I do. And yes a soda would be fine." He answered. "Jeez Ino, you always did use that tone of voice with me."

"Depends." She replied handing him a soda over the counter wandering how he knew her real name. "Who are you?"

"Hey hot blonde chick!" One of the guys in the back called. "Bring me another!"

Ino sighed and got another beer and went over to him. She handed him the beer with a fake smile. "You should go easy." She suggested. "You'll drink yourself to death. So I'm cutting you off. This is the last one tonight."

"I don't wanna stop, I life it hen youbringme me drinks." He replied drunkenly. Then he said something completely incomprehensible and passed out.

She rolled her eyes and went back behind the counter where she served a couple more drinks.

"So this is what you've been doing all this time." The man who somehow knew her commented. "Gotta say it isn't that appealing. You should've gone to collage, didn't you get offered a scholarship?" He asked.

"That's it, if you don't tell me who you are, I'll kick you out." She replied frustrated that he knew that.

"Well at least you're as troublesome as ever." He commented.

She recognized him now. She wandered how she didn't catch it sooner. He hadn't changed at all in appearance and his attitude and speaking habits were basically the same. "Shikamaru?" She said.

"Bingo." He replied taking a drink.

"That's just great. You tell anyone you saw me here, I'll hunt you down and kill you. I don't need them coming here to sneer at me. Got it?" She ordered.

"And you're as bossy as ever. Don't worry about it, I don't get off on making your life hell. From the looks of it," He looked around the bar. "You don't seem to be doing to well anyway."

She glared at him for a moment but turned away. She couldn't deny that she hated her life and her job and everything else that came with it.

"So what exactly did you do after graduation?" Shikamaru asked. "You just kind of dropped off the grid."

"Not that any of you cared." She snorted. "I bet you were all happy I was gone from your lives once and for all. After all, I wrecked everything I touched didn't I?"

"Not everything." He replied.

"Whatever, I'm off duty." She said taking off her apron and heading into the back without waiting for a reply from him. Ino grabbed her purse clocked out and opened the back door to head outside.

"Do you even have a car?" Shikamaru asked making her jump. He was outside the back door in the shadows.

"Don't do that." She replied.

"Do you?" He asked.

"I ride the night bus okay?" She asked.

"No. I'll take you home." He offered.

"Aren't you supposed to be someone's designated driver?" She asked.

"Who would I have to take home?" He replied.

"Then you lied to me in there?" She stated more then asked.

"Yea." He answered. "I'll take you home. It'll be safer then the bus and I'm sure it'll smell better. You always were condescending like that."  
"Shikamaru, I work in a bar where I get hit on daily by drunken idiots. I can't be very snooty." She replied.

"I bet you are." He answered holding out a hand to her. "Let me drive you home."

She sighed but gave in. "Fine, where's your car?" She asked obviously not taking his hand.

"Over there." He said as he walked past her towards his car. She was shocked it looked so expensive. A silver Mustang convertible. He could never afford something like this back in high school. "You coming?" He asked when he reached the car and noticed how she wasn't moving.

"You take that thing in my neighborhood you're just asking to get mugged." She mumbled before walking up and getting into the passenger side.

He pulled out of the parking lot and waited at a stop light. "Where am I going?" He asked.

"9th street. I'll give you more directions when you get there." She said.

"Alright." He replied.

There was silence as he drove across town that was starting to make Ino feel uncomfortable. "Do you still hang out with them?" Ino asked after awhile.

"Who?" He asked.

"Any of them." She replied.

"Well, I still hang out with Choji and Naruto on more then one occasion. And Sakura to since she started dating Naruto." He answered.

"Really? What happened to Sasuke?" Ino asked.

"He got a scholarship to a collage overseas and left shortly afterwards." Shikamaru answered.

"So what about you? Whatever happened to you that got you a very expensive car?" She asked.

"I graduated collage early and landed a cushy job." He answered. "And I don't have to do much so I like it."

Ino laughed at him. "You're always going to be the same lazy ass I knew in high school."  
"What about you?" He asked. "You've made it clear you're not the same girl I once knew."

"I'm not." She replied almost sadly. "I think I always knew that I was causing trouble. Cheating on Kiba, flirting with almost anyone else and by the end of it all you all hated me. So after I graduated I thought that it'd be better if I just left. I caused too much trouble I hurt to many people for me to stick around."

"So what did you do?" He asked.

"Turn here." She commented as he reached 9th street. "I got a scholarship to the same school as most everyone else, but like I said, I couldn't stick around so I left. I didn't go to collage and instead I got a job as a waitress in a dinner. The place went bankrupt last year so I got a job at that bar. At least I'm not stripping or worse for money. Things aren't that bad."

"What about your parents?" He asked.

"What do they care about me?" She retorted.

"Well, the fake name that you gave out earlier, Hana. Your parents own that flower shop so why don't you go work for them?" Shikamaru asked.

"My parents don't care about what I do and I don't want to spend my life selling flowers to idiots who think love is actually possible." She replied.

"You didn't use to think like that." Shikamaru commented.

"I was in high school. I know better now. Hell Shikamaru even you know better then that." She answered. "How's Temari by the way?" Ino asked.

"Hell if I know." Shikamaru replied. "I haven't seen her in three years."

"You two broke up?" She asked.

"Yea." He answered. "She was bossy and I guess I'm just not the type who goes well with relationships."

"I guess neither am I." She said. "It's the apartment building two houses down." She added changing the subject.

He parked just outside the building and surveyed it. It was better then some places she could be living, but didn't exactly look safe. "Apartment, huh?"

"Well it's no mansion Mr. Rich." She teased unbuckling her seat belt and opening her door.

"I don't live in a mansion." He corrected her. "I live in a condo."

"How nice." She replied. "So long. Don't come around that bar often." She said half seriously. She entered her apartment building shutting him out. She peeked through the door and watched him drive away.

Ino couldn't stop the tears that fell now. She'd betrayed her friends for reasons she couldn't explain and even now Shikamaru would talk to her. She knew that she'd messed up back then and now there was a voice screaming in her head that things could be fixed. If Shikamaru was willing to talk to her, would Sakura maybe? Or Choji? Maybe even Naruto?

She was still crying when she ran up the stairs to her apartment and opened the door. She entered her apartment and let herself fall face down on the couch. She felt almost a sense of being forgiven and she wanted to slap Shikamaru for it. He was probably only talking to her out of pity that she was stuck in that hell hole. Or pity that after all her big high school talk she was riding the night bus with the hobos. He was pitting her, and she knew she'd never see him again.

-XXX-

"What are you doing?" Shikamaru asked looking at Choji who was lying on the floor clutching his stomach.

"I think I ate too much." He wined.

"I could guess that." Shikamaru replied. "Why are you at my house?"

"My Mom kicked me out telling me to get a real job." Choji answered. "I'm an author. That's a real job."

"And you really don't do anything nor do you really earn any money." Shikamaru replied. "So what makes you think you can crash here?"  
"Naruto said it was okay." Choji retorted.

"Naruto is also crashing here much without my consent." He stated.

"C'mon Shika," Naruto pleaded joining them in the living room. "Have a heart, we need somewhere to go, and you have the space."

"I promise I'll get a day job and I'll be gone as soon as I do." Choji offered.

Shikamaru looked at Naruto. "I make no promises." Naruto said.

"Fine." Shikamaru said then sighed. "Don't…mess anything up. I'll make you clean it."

"Great!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Why do you smell like beer?" Choji asked plugging his nose.

"I saw Ino today." Shikamaru answered.

"I don't think that was an answer." Choji said slightly pouting at the sound of his former friend's name.

"You talk to her?" Naruto asked.

"Yea, I also drove her home since she didn't have a car and it was late. But I saw her at a bar when I was leaving the drug store and I thought I'd drop in to say hi." Shikamaru answered.

"How is she?" Choji asked reluctantly.

"Different. I think she really regrets a lot of things about how things went in high school. I think I'll go see her again tomorrow. She was kind of fun to talk to." Shikamaru replied.

"That's good." Naruto commented. "Shika's got a crush. Shika's got a crush." Naruto teased.

"I'll kill you." Shikamaru warned.

-XXX-

"Hey, Ino?" Her roommate greeted warily. "Why are you crashed on the couch?"

"Rough night." Ino answered.

"You get hit on again?" She asked.

"As a matter of fact, I did, but I'm over that." Ino answered. "Some weird guy I know from high school was there and he wouldn't stop bugging me."

"Maybe he likes you." Her roommate guessed.

"Be serious, Yuri." Ino replied. "They all turned their backs on me and don't give a shit about what I do. I can't blame them. I would've turned on one of them if they cheated on one of my closest friends and threw their weight around."  
"Honey, you would've been best friends with that person." Yuri commented. "But that's the past, now you're here so work on getting out of here." Yuri tossed Ino a flying for a dinner now hiring. "Better then a bar."  
"Hell ya it is. I'm so checking this out as soon as possible. Thanks Yuri!"

"No problem."

-XXX-

"Hey, Hana." Shikamaru teased sitting at the bar.

"Oh no." Ino replied with a sense of dread. "If you're not drinking, I'll kick you out." She warned.

"Then I'll have a beer." Shikamaru answered.

Ino sighed. "Coming right up." She said snidely.

"Man, you're always so mean to me. What'd I do this time?" He asked.

She ignored him but pulled a beer from the mini-fridge bellow the counter. She served a few more drinks thankful it was a slow night. However, that meant Shikamaru had more chances to talk to her.

"Do you need something or do I really need to start looking for a new job." She asked.

"Ouch." He replied.

"I'm serious Shikamaru. If this is some way for you to come here and flaunt about how you turned out while I'm stuck serving jack-asses beer all evening…" She stopped there and took a breath. "I don't want to see you."

"Jeez aren't you paranoid?" Shikamaru asked.

She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to the back room. "Don't make me beat the shit out of you until you don't remember the meaning of the word light!"

"Ino, calm down okay? I'm not here to flaunt anything; I just think it's good… seeing you. You know I'm not like that. Besides, I've got two idiots crashing at my place and it's nice to get out. Talking to you is the closet I'm going to get to an intelligent conversation." Shikamaru said.

"Fine." Ino replied letting go of his collar. "You have a point. But if I find out that you're telling everyone you know that I work in a bar that was spit from hell, I'll tear you apart piece by piece. Got it?!"

Shikamaru chuckled. "Yea." He was thinking why she would care if he said anything and guessed that the old Ino wasn't too far gone. She still cared a little about what people who knew her thought about her.

She led him out of the back room and he sat back in his stool.

"Hey, Shikamaru?" Ino asked getting his attention. "How come you haven't touched your drink?"

"I wanna be sober enough to drive you home." He replied.

"What?! You're going to drive me home again?!" Ino asked.

"Yep." He answered.

"How long do you plan on imposing yourself into my life?" She asked sounding like she was wining.

"I don't know." He answered truthfully.

"Great." She replied with a pout. She had decided not to tell him that she was looking for a new job part of her hoping that as soon as she left he'd be out of her life. But another part of her liked seeing Shikamaru. It was like, forgiveness. The answer to everything that she'd ever done. And she liked seeing him because of that. Selfish, but it was true.

* * *

- YuukiSoma


	2. Chapter 2

_**Fallen**_

"Yo people." Kiba greeted setting his bag on the cafeteria table and sitting next to Ino. "I passed my classes." He said with a sense of pride.

"With mostly D's, congrats graduate!" Naruto replied.

"Hey I passed!" Kiba retorted.

"I think it's great, sweetie." Ino chimed in kissing his cheek.

"Oh please." Sakura mumbled snidely. "Like she gives a damn about him."

"She's your friend, Sakura." Shikamaru commented.

"Like hell she is. What kind of friend, cheats on her boyfriend and looks him in the eye to say she loves him." She replied.

He didn't answer her. He wanted to say something in Ino's defense but he was actually at a loss for words. Things have been falling apart with Ino all year, and from the looks of it they were going to snap soon.

-XXX-

"I can't believe this…" Kiba said in disbelief. His head in his hands and Sakura at his side.

"I know I couldn't either. But I couldn't let her lie to you like that." Sakura replied rubbing his back soothingly.

"You tell him?" Naruto asked as he and Shikamaru entered the cafeteria before school.

"I had to. It's not like she was going to." Sakura defended.

"This sucks!" Kiba exclaimed sounding really pissed. "Y'know what?! I don't even care. Ino's a bitch and there is nothing more to it."

"She is." Temari agreed.

"Honestly you just said what we're all thinking." Tenten commented. "She's acting all high and mighty like she owns all of us and can do whatever she wants."  
"Really I think someone should knock her down a few pegs." Temari answered.

"Guys, this is Ino." Shikamaru tried to rationalize. "She's been our friend since freshman year. Sakura you've known her since elementary school."

"Yea and she changed. That isn't the same person who was my friend." Sakura replied.

"But…" Shikamaru started again but was cut off.

"Ugh!" Temari exclaimed frustrated. "There you go again! You honestly…Damn it Shikamaru!"

"I'm just trying to say…"  
"Quit defending her! She needs to know that all she is is a petty bitch that isn't now nor will she ever be just 'that good!'" Sakura exclaimed.

"I get it!" Ino yelled from behind them. "I'm a terrible person! So if you don't like me stay out of my life! I don't need you! I don't need any of you!" She was crying before she finished speaking and ran off dropping her books.

"Ino!" Shikamaru called after her but she was gone.

Naruto put a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder trying to calm him down. Naruto knew Shikamaru liked Ino, everyone did.

"We're done." Temari said to him. "If you care more about that bitch then you do me, then we shouldn't be together."

"Maybe we shouldn't!" He snapped. "I thought some of you might at least have had enough decency to care that you just sent your friend off crying alone. I admit she made a mistake, but that doesn't deserve a punishment of solitude where her friends turn their backs on her!"

Shikamaru picked up her books and walked out of the cafeteria. While he walked down the hallway cooling his head he could hear someone crying in the girl's bathroom. He set her books down by the door and walked away.

"Hey." Naruto greeted after Shikamaru had gone outside for the fresh air. "You find Ino?" He asked.

Shikamaru nodded.

"Is she okay?" He asked.

He shrugged.

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't say anything earlier. Maybe they would've listened if it was more then one person trying to talk them out of it." Naruto commented.

"I wouldn't bet money on that." Shikamaru replied.

"What about Temari?" He asked.

"I'll get over it." He answered.

"You aren't going to try and get her back?"

"Too much effort." He replied. "Besides, she's right. When it down to it, I do care about Ino more then I care about her."

"I'm sorry."

"I know."

-XXX-

"What the hell?!" Ino demanded. "This is much in the opposite direction of where I live!"

"I know." Shikamaru answered. As was usual, Shikamaru was supposed to be driving Ino home. Supposed.

"Then why are you going this way?!" She asked.

"Calm down will you. You know me; I'm too lazy to kidnap you. Way too much effort." Shikamaru replied.

"Possibly, but now you're rich. Who knows how much you've changed since high school." She commented.

Shikamaru only chuckled at her. "You worked the day shift today, and I have a life."

She made a face.

"I know it's hard to believe." He replied. "But I have to go to a dinner party to go to, and I'm dragging you with me."  
"I hate you." She said.

"You've said that before." He replied.

"Shikamaru…" She started.

"Yea?" He asked.

"Whatever happened to everyone? I mean the high school group." She wandered.

"Who do you want to know about?" Shikamaru asked.

"Everyone. The whole group y'know. I always kind of wanted to know." She replied.

"Um…" He thought for a moment. "Choji's a dead beat author who is crashing at my place for now. Naruto is unemployed and lost his house so he is also crashing at my place." He answered.

"Oh, so that's what you meant when you said that thereare two idiots staying at your place." She commented with a giggle.

"Yep." He agreed. "Sakura is a student doctor at South Heart Hospital. Sasuke is studying abroad. Temari went back to Suna after graduation. Tenten married Neji and they moved uptown so I never see them. Hinata is dancing ballet and is always busy with rehearsals so I never see her either. Rock Lee is at a military camp. Shino is some big layer or something like that. And Kiba…got married last year but I don't know who to, then he moved away with her."

"That's good." Ino replied feeling guilty. "I'm glad he found someone."

"I don't think he holds a grudge against you." Shikamaru said noticing in the mirror how her face was showing signs of sadness and guilt. "It's been three years. I'm sure they're over it by now." He added.

"Well if they aren't, you seem to be." Ino retorted.

"I never had a problem with you." He replied truthfully.

"Oh please. You all hated me." She argued.

"You know… after you ran away that day, I think they renounced me as a friend as well when I wanted to stop you." He said.

"Liar." She replied.

"I'm not lying." He assured her. "I called after you and for a couple days the only people who would talk to me was Naruto."

"Better then what I got."

"You were crying in the girl's bathroom. I set your things by the door since I couldn't go in, but I did go looking for you, and I wanted to talk to you. But after that, you skipped the last couple days of school and only showed up at graduation. I only saw you for a couple seconds. You showed up got your diploma and left."

"So tell me Mr. Sensitive, what would you have said?" She asked.

"I don't know." He answered. "I wanted to let you know somehow that I was there if no one else was."

She looked at him shocked.

"But you disappeared for three years. I even asked your parents and they told me that they only got a phone call from you once a year. Then when I was at the drug store across from the bar you work at, I saw you through the window and I decided that my chance to talk to you was either now or never, so I went over."

Before she could regain her voice, he parked the car outside a store.

"Dinner party at a boutique? You sure do have class Shikamaru." She commented thankful for the change of subject.

"It's a fancy restaurant. You don't want to show up in that do you?" He asked looking at her work clothes. "Besides, I need to change to, although it's a bother."

"Great." She said. "Has it occurred to you Mr. Big fancy cars, restaurants, and condos; that I'm flat broke and can't afford this?"

"I only have one condo." He replied. "And yes, that's why I'm buying it."

"What?" She asked.

"Don't make me repeat myself." He said getting out of the car.

She followed this action but wasn't about to stop hassling him. "Hell no! You ain't buying me shit!" She argued.

"I'm not buying you 'shit.' I'm buying you a dress so that I can get through this damn dinner. It'll be so boring if I don't take someone, and like I said, you're the only person I get to have intelligent conversations with. Despite the complaining. Humor me?" He asked.

She smacked him in the back of the head. "You're such a smart ass." She commented. "But I'll humor you for now."

-XXX-

"I can't believe you dragged me to something so damn boring." Ino complained.

"Sheesh, you have really bad language." Shikamaru commented. "Where'd you get the potty mouth?"

"Your Mother." She replied.

"Ouch. Is it just me or are you like this to everyone?" He asked with a laugh.

"Depends on if I like the person or not." She teased. Being around him was easier after what he said earlier. At least she knew he wasn't trying to "throw his weight around." And after some thought she can remember that someone did call after her who sounded a lot like Shikamaru. Although she'd blocked this from her memory on the idea that they all hate her she could remember hearing him try to rationalize things with the people who were about to jump down her throat.

He never did that. Stuck up for people or tried to rationalize things on someone's behalf. Mostly because that meant he actually had to do something and he wasn't the best at that. But he did that for her, so what does that mean? She thought maybe he liked her back then but threw that thought out of her mind. He was dating Temari. He was Shikamaru; that is enough reason for him to not like her right there.

He pulled up to her apartment and Ino say Yuri sitting on the steps. "Yuri, what are you doing there?" She asked getting out of the car.

"I was waiting for you." She answered then looked at the dress Ino was wearing then the fancy car. "You go yourself a suitor!"

"No I got myself an idiot." She corrected.

Yuri ignored the correction and ran to the car looking in through the window. "Hello suitor!" She greeted.

"Hey." Shikamaru replied. "Sorry I kept your roommate so long."

"No problem take her anytime." Yuri replied.

"Yuri, shut up. Stop talking to the weird man." Ino chimed in from behind her.

"Would you like to come up for some tea?" Yuri asked.

"I can't. I have to make sure my condo didn't get burned down while I was away. Maybe some other time." He replied.

"Anytime's good with me." She replied before backing away from the car with a wave.

"No go away, Shikamaru." Ino said.

"You're so harsh." He replied. "Oh well. See you Friday."

"Friday?" She asked wandering why he wouldn't see her tomorrow.

"Tomorrow's your day off right?" He asked.

"Oh, right." She replied.

Shikamaru smirked. "See ya." He said starting the car back up and driving away.

"You've got yourself a sexy ass rich dude." Yuri commented. "I'm starting to envy your life."

"Don't." Ino warned. "You do not want **him** in your life."

"You do." Yuri replied before entering the apartment building.

-XXX-

"Where have you been all day?" Choji asked when Shikamaru got home. He looked around the condo that was once neat and easy to manage. Now he had no idea what was clean and what wasn't staring at the mess.

"I spent the day with Ino then I went to some work thing. What the hell happened here?" Shikamaru answered then asked.

"Ask Naruto. I spent the day with my editor talking about a book that might sell." Choji replied.

"Hey blonde ass-hole!" Shikamaru called.

"Yea?" Naruto asked recognizing that that meant him.

"Clean the mess or I'll kick you out on your ass." Shikamaru warned.

"Man, you're mean Shikamaru." He Naruto replied. He looked at the dressy clothes and smirked. "What's this? Did you go on a date?"

"Work dinner." Shikamaru corrected.

"Was Ino with you?" Naruto asked.

"Why does that matter?"

"So she was." Naruto gathered. "Then you went on a date with Ino. I think you should ask her out."

"Naruto…" Shikamaru started but was cut off.

"Think about what he's saying Shikamaru. I know it's been three years and all, but even if it seems like she changed it's possible she hasn't changed that much." Choji mentioned. "I've been your friend since we were in elementary school, so if you want to be with Ino, I won't oppose you, but at least think about what I said."

"I know." Shikamaru replied. "I don't know if she'd even say yes if I asked her out."

"Why not?" Naruto asked. "Are you not good enough for her?"

"She might be thinking that, but even if I was…she's paranoid as hell. She keeps expecting me to show up one day and rub it in her face that she's where she's at and I'm not. I'm guessing that she just doesn't want to be hurt anymore. And that if I asked her out she'd think I am pitying her." He answered.

"Is pity even one of your limited feelings?" Naruto asked.

"So tell her that." Choji said. "If she thinks that, correct her."

"Yea." Shikamaru replied thinking ahead. He couldn't stand what he knew she'd think if he told her, but if he never said anything high school will repeat itself. He'll have gotten himself caught in the position of friend and she'll end up dating someone else. He couldn't stand to see her with Kiba then, he won't be able to see her with anyone else, now either.

-XXX-

Shikamaru laid his head on the counter of the bar. He was tired today and his bosses had pissed him off so he was wandering how many drinks it would take to kill his brain altogether.

"Hey something up?" Ino asked bending down to level with him behind the bar.

He didn't respond so she poked him and he stirred.

"Can I do something for you?" She tried again now that she had his slight sleepy attention.

"Kill me?" He asked sounding like he was begging.

"Can't that's illegal." She replied. "You want a drink?"  
"I can't. Driver, remember?" He replied.

"So, just call one of the idiots and tell them to pick you up here later. They can drive your car home." She suggested.

"Then give me something that'll work quickly." He asked.

"Coming right up." She retorted turning to make a drink.

"Do you hate working here?" He asked.

"Sometimes. But y'know, when you don't have a choice you take the work you can get." She replied handing him the glass of many mixed alcohols.

"You could always go back to school." He suggested. "Do something with your life. You're still young."

"Shikamaru…I don't need a lecture on what to do with my life." Ino protested.

"Apparently not." He retorted looking around the bar. "You've already done so well."

"Shikamaru!" She warned.

"You never change. You never listen when someone is trying to help you."

"I don't need to hear it from you. I get it, you've done so well for yourself, you're rich and a fricken genius and…"  
"I'm sorry." He said quietly cutting her off. "There's something I want to say to you, but I'm having a hard time with it so I end up saying something else. I didn't mean for it to come off like that but I've never been good with words."

She looked at him as he laid his head back on the counter not taking a drink. He was speaking so quietly she felt odd. Uncomfortable hearing this. Like something was moving but she can't see it.

"You can say anything to me, Shikamaru." Ino let him know using a sweet tone. She was never close with Shikamaru in high school and now he was her only friend. It was selfish but if something was bothering him she was going to help. No matter what. "You can tell me anything that's on your mind." She added.

* * *

-YuukiSoma


	3. Chapter 3

_**Fallen**_

Shikamaru looked at the girl behind the bar. Three years ago she would've ignored him if he was having a bad day only adding to the pain. But after three years of being alone he wasn't so surprised that she'd seek to comfort the only person from her past who made an attempt to talk to her.

"Shikamaru?" Ino asked when he was silent for a few minutes only staring at her.

"Ino, I've…" He started but was drowned out by the sound of the slamming bar door. He turned slightly to look but not enough to draw attention to himself. He really didn't need to add got beat up at a bar to his list of reasons why today sucks. But seeing Ino had made it that much more bearable.

"Hey sweetheart." The unnaturally large man who'd just stormed into the bar greeted Ino as he took a seat at the bar near her and Shikamaru.

"What do you want?" She asked standing up.

"You in my bed, but that can wait til later." He replied. "For now I'll take a beer."

Shikamaru took a deep breath unaware that his hands had clutched into fists at the man's words.

"Here you go." She said handing him a large mug of beer. She backed away closer to Shikamaru. She knew this guy, he came in sometimes and he'd get drunk and start demanding sex from any of the female waitresses until the manager kicked him out. There have already been two offenses where they had to call the cops on him for grabbing the waitresses and basically attempting rape. Luckily so far she hadn't been the victim to that.

"Are you going to drink that or just stare at it?" She asked Shikamaru keeping herself busy so her attention was away from the gorilla gulping down the liquor like it was air.

He didn't answer but she noticed his eyes were fixed on the counter his fists were in balls so tight his knuckles were white. She noticed a certain darkness in his eyes she could only remember seeing once when he got into a fight in high school cause some guy had shoved Choji in a locker. Of course Choji was always big and ended up stuck half way in and they had to call the fire department to get him out.

"You showing special treatment?" The gorilla asked her noticing her attention to Shikamaru compared to her attention to anyone else.

"I know him outside work." She replied.

"Boyfriend? How weak." He commented sizing Shikamaru up.

"I'm not her boyfriend." Shikamaru replied. "And I'm not weak."  
"Maybe not, but you would be compared to me." He answered.

"That depends on if you're smart enough to **shut up** before you piss me off." He snapped.

"Um…Shikamaru…" Ino intervened. "Maybe you should…"

"Ino." Shikamaru warned and she shut up. She knew he wouldn't hurt her, but sometimes he was somebody you just didn't want to have angry with you.

"Ino, huh?" The gorilla caught her name. "Pretty name for a pretty girl. If you're nobody's girl you should try me out for size. I can swear that you won't be disappointed." He said.

She knew what he was suggesting and unfortunately so did Shikamaru and he didn't seem happy about it.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you have a big mouth? Not surprising that the only things that come out of it make you show your true colors." Shikamaru commented.

"Oh yea? What's that?" He asked"  
"Stupid." He answered simply as if he was talking to a child who needed things made in the simplest terms for him to understand.

The gorilla actually growled at that and almost got up from his stool but Shikamaru didn't move an inch.

"Shikamaru! Stop it both of you, or you'll both be thrown out!" Ino warned them both.

The gorilla retook his seat but Shikamaru hadn't moved he only sighed he didn't even seem intimidated.

There was silence for a long time and Ino went to serve a couple of drinks. On her way back the gorilla grabbed her bear leg tightly making her lose balance. She fell over and hit the counter losing her breath on impact.

Shikamaru jumped up and moved over to knock the mans lights out but he pulled Ino up in front of him pulling a knife to her throat.

"If any of you call the cops or leave this bar I'll slit her throat then all of yours one by one starting with the little hero here." He ordered gesturing to Shikamaru.

Shikamaru couldn't blame the other people in the bar for being slightly relieved that they hadn't been singled out. That gave them the time to run away if he did start killing people. Not one of these drunks were about to be a hero and try to save anyone. He couldn't blame them for that. After a minute of absolute silence in the bar more people entered with guns which they pointed at the drunks.

"Now all of you get down!" The gorilla ordered. They all obeyed but Shikamaru hesitated seeing Ino in that man's clutches. "You too." He specified towards Shikamaru, or we'll tie you down and kill you as slowly and painfully as humanly possible.

Shikamaru still didn't move but Ino sent his a pleading glance. "Do what they say you idiot!" She said. She was selfish and wasn't about to get the only friend she has left killed in a bar robbery.

Shikamaru put up his hands slowly and did as he was told.

"Well I guess you do have some brains after all." The man commented. As soon as Shikamaru had gotten down he pulled Ino to his side but didn't let her go and he kicked Shikamaru in the ribs hard enough for Ino to hear cracking.

"Shikamaru!" She exclaimed trying to break free from the bastard to check on him but she wasn't as strong as him. She could fend guys off but this guy was huge and he had strength that she thought impossible before tonight. He got irritated with her trying to get away and slapped her.

Shikamaru's eyes snapped open at the sound despite the lack of air from getting the wind knocked out of him and the pain from his ribs. He saw her bowing her head and limp in his arms as if that one motion had rendered her unconscious. He never wanted to kill someone more then he did right now, even if that meant taking a bullet from one of his lackeys. He'd take the bastard down with him if it meant Ino was safe from him.

He felt another sharp pain worse then the one before as he was kicked again in the same place disturbing the already painful ribs. His eyes instinctively closed as if that would somehow lessen the pain. He could feel himself began to curl itself into a ball but he stopped himself he wasn't going to subject to this. There was a ruckus around him but he couldn't open his eyes yet. When he finally did he felt as if he'd been ripped to shreds and left on the highway to be run over like road kill.

Ino was gone and so was the gorilla. Shikamaru didn't care about the pain in his ribs or getting shot. Really he didn't even do anything it was as if the adrenaline was auto piloting his body. He got off the floor and attacked the gun men nearest him first.

-XXX-

Ino heard gun shots from inside the bar when she came to. She was being dragged towards a random van she guessed was the get away car. It had no license plates and all the windows were tinted so it was impossible to see inside the van. The door slid open and she was thrown inside. The gorilla got in behind as well and someone else who she couldn't see drove away fast.

"Let go!" He yelled lunging for the door. If her only way to freedom and back to Shikamaru was to jump out of a fast moving vehicle she'd do it. But the big man blocked her path and threw her back down to the van floor. She could feel the right side of the car lift from the ground when the driver made a very sharp turn.  
"Quiet bitch." The gorilla commanded. "Right now you're my property."

"Oh hell I am!" He replied. "I don't belong to you and never will I! Let me go!"

"I like 'em feisty." He replied. "You can call me Kakuzu." He added.

"You bastard!" She tried to push past him but he grabbed her neck and shoved her back against the other side of the van. She could feel her head smack the metal walls and started to get dizzy. A warm liquid ran down the side of her face and she saw red as the liquid hit the ground around her.

She lost all sense of hearing then and as the world around her began to get dark she saw Kakuzu yelling at the driver she saw the driver yelling back with a scared face and then she lost everything after that.

-XXX-

"Is she going to be okay?! That's all I'm asking damnit!" Ino heard the familiar voice of a worried Shikamaru.

"She should be fine, she has a concussion, but we'll do all we can to make sure nothing bad happens to her." A female answered. "Please sir, go with the other ambulance you're badly banged up and you could get hurt."

"Let me go with her, we're both going to end up in the hospital anyway!" He objected not wanted to leave her.

"Ow." Ino commented. "My head hurts."

"Ino!" Shikamaru exclaimed. She felt a hand on hers but she felt it warm with blood. She frowned knowing he was hurt but couldn't really think straight and lost that train of thought easily.

"My head hurts and I can't see." She commented.

"That's because your eyes are closed." Shikamaru replied.

"You may ride with her sir, but we are treating you as soon as we reach the hospital." The female MT said.

"Thank you." He replied getting into the ambulance with her.

She felt his hand grab hers again and she moved to hold his hand. Her head felt somehow clearer and hurt less as she clutched to his hand before once again losing all conscious thought, this time to the drugs that started to dull everything.

* * *

-YuukiSoma


End file.
